User Reviews

It's got plenty of standout performances, such as like Cate Blanchett's utterly uncanny turn as "Jude Quinn," but "I'm Not There" is way too ambitious interpretive, oblique, and abstract to be construed as a coherent biography.

The many faces & phases of Bob Dylan.It's painfully pretentious, gruellingly long & quite disjointed.It's saving graces, however, are great performances by Heath Ledger & Cate Blanchett & of course the fantastic music.
The film though justThe many faces & phases of Bob Dylan.It's painfully pretentious, gruellingly long & quite disjointed.It's saving graces, however, are great performances by Heath Ledger & Cate Blanchett & of course the fantastic music.The film though just didn't work for me at all.…Expand

Let me preface my review by saying I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan. Love his music. Love his book. Love his style. He is iconic. I don't feel like this movie really captured Bob's spirit. I was really bored by it to be honest. It was creative, and ILet me preface my review by saying I'm a huge Bob Dylan fan. Love his music. Love his book. Love his style. He is iconic. I don't feel like this movie really captured Bob's spirit. I was really bored by it to be honest. It was creative, and I thought that Cate Blanchett totally knocked the ball out of the park, but it was just a drag to watch. They should have made a movie where Cate Blanchett played Bob for its entirety. The soundtrack is great, and I give the film points for Blanchett's stunning performance. The other actors weren't necessarily bad, they just didn't really speak to me as a Dylan fan . . .…Expand

Other than Cate, the movie was a failure. I appreciate the effort, but just being different doesn't make it good.

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5

SusanBDec 8, 2007

You have give Haynes credit for the concept and courage in making this film. That being said, it has no core, emotional or otherwise. For instance, after you get over how brillantly Cate Blanchette has reproduced the Dyaln of Don't Look You have give Haynes credit for the concept and courage in making this film. That being said, it has no core, emotional or otherwise. For instance, after you get over how brillantly Cate Blanchette has reproduced the Dyaln of Don't Look Back, you wonder what the point. Why not just watch Don't Look Back? Ultimately, much of the movie is tedious and boring.…Expand

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6

ArdieO.Dec 10, 2008

During the film, I was lost.I was a bit puzzled because of the odd technique, yet by the end of the movie I had a sense of satisfaction. Not the best movie I have seen but definitely engaging.

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6

MichaelE.Feb 12, 2008

In spite of all its gobbledygook, really an ordinary biopic, with the same cloying tendencies as "Ray" and "Walk the Line." If the Fellini of the 1970s had directed either of those, undoubtedly this would have been the result, except it In spite of all its gobbledygook, really an ordinary biopic, with the same cloying tendencies as "Ray" and "Walk the Line." If the Fellini of the 1970s had directed either of those, undoubtedly this would have been the result, except it wouldn't have been so visually dull.…Expand

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5

FredM.Nov 30, 2007

Fascinating failure, lengthy and pretentious. Haynes' idea of exploring Bob Dylan's psychic personas through different actors is brilliant with two standout performances: Cate Blanchett as the mid-60s druggy, psyched-out Dylan and Fascinating failure, lengthy and pretentious. Haynes' idea of exploring Bob Dylan's psychic personas through different actors is brilliant with two standout performances: Cate Blanchett as the mid-60s druggy, psyched-out Dylan and Marcus Carl Franklin as Dylan incarnating a runaway, Woody Guthrie-worshipping black boy. The other Dylans, Christian Bale as a protest folkie turned Christian preacher, Heath Ledger as a womanizing movie star, Ben Whishaw as motormouth pseudo Rimbaud, and Richard Gere as an aged Billy the Kid, add no new revelations to the Dylan legend and the movie eventually becomes tedious and boring in its gimmickry. Striking black and white scenes lifted directly from Fellini's "8 & 1/2" (even using Nino Rota's score) effortlessly blended with scenes of the American West eventually loose their attraction as conversations about art and the role of the artist don't bring new insight. The soundtrack mixing original Dylan songs with covers by diverse acts such as Sonic Youth and Charlotte Gainsbourg is quite good but cannot save the film from its empty core. This film is a bore and Dylan deserves better.…Expand

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4

ChrisFeb 17, 2008

I nearly left after 30 mins but hung in for another 60 I guess. I found the film went over the same angst filled void too many times to be really informative. pretty disappointing made even worse by Cate Blanchett's stereotypical I nearly left after 30 mins but hung in for another 60 I guess. I found the film went over the same angst filled void too many times to be really informative. pretty disappointing made even worse by Cate Blanchett's stereotypical performance. Hope Todd Haynes doesnt turn the lens on The Stones next…Expand

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4

JayH.Apr 29, 2008

I was not impressed. All the different actors playing Bob Dylan didn't even look related. Cate Blanchett was a huge disappointment. She looked like Cate Blanchett and sounded like her, not Dylan. The direction was pretentious. The I was not impressed. All the different actors playing Bob Dylan didn't even look related. Cate Blanchett was a huge disappointment. She looked like Cate Blanchett and sounded like her, not Dylan. The direction was pretentious. The b&w/color was pointless. I have never been a fan of Bob Dylan as it is. The man can't sing and shouldn't be doing so. His songs are good, but his voice stinks.…Expand